Media Release: Chance to purchase rare malt opens today

THE opportunity to secure one of five new bottles of a rare Scotch whisky has opened today.

The Port Ellen 11th Release (32yo) is the oldest ever bottling of the malt from the Islay distillery which ceased production in 1983.

Says a spokesperson: “With less than 3,000 bottles in existence, the new release offers enthusiasts and collectors the chance to own an extraordinary piece of whisky history.

“The five bottles are being sold by Edinburgh’s Scotch Whisky Experience at a fixed price of £600 – up to £250 less than current asking prices.

“When first issued in October 2011, the 11th Release of the rare bottling was snapped up extremely quickly.

“Due to the expected high levels of interest in the newly available bottles, The Scotch Whisky Experience will be conducting a random draw of prospective buyers.”

Interested parties will be asked to register their interest online ahead of the draw on 30 August 2012, which will select five individuals to be invited to purchase a bottle each.

Distilled in 1979 and bottled in 2011, the natural cask strength release has the briny smoke background of most Islay malts, balanced out by citrus and a hint of sweetness, with a long and warming finish.

Although the site is still used to malt barley for the island’s other distilleries, the distillery itself has remained silent for almost 30 years, which has made Port Ellen an increasingly attractive purchase for whisky collectors and investors.

Susan Morrison, director and general manager of The Scotch Whisky Experience, said: “This is a great opportunity for whisky enthusiasts that missed out on the initial release last winter and we are delighted to add the Port Ellen 11th Release (32yo) to our offering of rare bottlings.

“The Scotch Whisky Experience is a well established purveyor of premium collectable Whiskies; a market set to be worth some £20m by 2020.

“The most recent additions to our rare bottlings include the GlenDronach Single Cask (Batch 6 1971), which was released this July, and the Macallan 25yo Sherry Oak.

“With the rapid growth of the collectable Whisky market – currently around 20 percent per year – we have recently invested over £1m into our retail facilities, introducing a specialist premium collection accompanied by a VIP area and iPad browsing application in our Edinburgh shop.

“For investors and enthusiasts further afield, the premium collection is available UK-wide via our online outlet, which also offers live expert advice and guidance.

“All bottlings within our premium collection are available to purchase outright. We have made an exception for the Port Ellen 11th Release due to its high profile at present and the limited number of bottles we have available – we want to ensure everyone has a fair and equal chance to benefit from this opportunity.”

Interested parties should register their details at www.shopforwhisky.co.uk by 11pm on Wednesday 29 August 2012.

The draw will select five names drawn at random, with the selected individuals notified by Friday 31 August. For further details, contact 0131 220 0441.

ENDS

For more information:

Debbie Standen or Craig MacLellan

CM Porter Novelli

0131 470 3400

debbie.standen@porternovelli.co.uk or craig.maclellan@porternovelli.co.uk